A very disturbing report and a video have surfaced this week showing a Texas judge, William Adams, brutally beating and cursing his 16-year-old daughter Hillary in 2004. The girl, who has ataxic cerebral palsy, was being disciplined for having downloaded music and games that weren’t available legally.

The judge has been relieved of his duties and is being investigated. He says, “In my mind I have not done anything wrong other than discipline my child when she was caught stealing. I did lose my temper, I’ve apologized. It looks worse than it is.”

The girl’s mother was also actively involved in the abuse. However, she was apparently unduly influenced by her violent, abusive husband. She’s since left her husband, and she and her daughter seem to have a positive relationship.

I’m not opposed to reasonable and appropriate corporal punishment of children, and I understand that there’s sometimes a fine line between what’s acceptable and what amounts to abuse. However, by any standard what this man did to his daughter on this occasion and reportedly at other times was abusive. Here’s the video; judge for yourself whether it “looks worse than it is.” (It’s offensive, brutal, and difficult to watch.)

There are questions about the statute of limitations and other legal issues regarding how and if Adams can be brought to justice. One can only hope that the legal system in Texas can deal appropriately with one of its own.

No matter what the law can do, however, I’d like to see someone take him out into his front yard and beat the crap out of him. Let him see how it feels.

5 Responses to “Child Abuse by Any Standard”

I am totally against corporal punishment of children. This video brings me back to my own childhood,I considered the innumerable,belt whippings I received from my mother,to be abusive. When I was 16,my mother was on the verge of hitting me with a belt,which I caught in mid-air,and stopped the beating. I looked in her cold,steel, blue eyes and said,You will never hit me again. She walked away,and never tried to hit me again. I have always consided hitting a child,with more than youe hand,which allows you to feel how had you are hitting,to be abusive. This kind of decipline omly made me mad, and dislike my mother,it did not “fix” my evil ways.
This judge should have charges pressed against him,even though,we are all smart enough to know,the daughter only released the video,for spite,he is no less,an abusive father. Should a man like this,be judging cases of child abuse,I think not.
Have you ever seen a parent,hitting their child,violently,while saying,We don’t hit! I have,does this seem to be the right punishment for the crime? I think not. Have you ever witnessed a tiny child, being spanked by their parent,while screaming and looking totally,unbelievably,betrayed,by the person they trust and immulate most? It is not a pretty sight,and I doubt it ever really,fixed the child,and may have made a non-violent child,a violent man or woman,later. One survey said,no I don’t know where it is,that all violent offenders in prison,had been spanked or beaten,as children. Didn’t fix them.
In my opinion,spanking or beating your children,proves,you are not smart enough,to figure out other ways of diciplining your children,who are most times,smaller than you. Use your brains,folks,surely,you can outsmart a child,unless he is the spawn of satan,in which case,spanking is not gonna help us.

I don’t see anything wrong with spanking a child for a good reason. However, I don’t think using a weapon (e.g., a belt) is right; a couple of pops on the butt with an open hand should always be enough. Once a child is older than about 10, it shouldn’t be necessary. Other forms of discipline are available and more effective. And in no case, regardless of any other consideration, should a parent hit a child when angry.

Corporal punishment in schools? I think it’s OK, within narrowly prescribed limits and with explicit parental permission. I don’t want to sound like the old guy talking about walking 10 miles to school in the snow, but this wasn’t an issue when I was a kid. In school, boys (including teenagers) who needed it got a couple of whacks on the backside with a paddle; girls didn’t. That was OK.

I understand a spank, but never in anger. If anyone in or out of school layed a hand on my child , I would crush there head. And this judge ( of course it would b a judge , cop , anyone ur suspose to bow too) is a sick bastard . I just cry to myself when I hear ,see things like this. I wish I had a cape , I would save the poor and defenceless.

Chill,Ben,thegreat. Just remember,all over this great Country,there are babies,children,teens,being beaten and worse. It seems strange to me,that,if you beat any person,with a belt,your wife,a friend,a stranger,or even,if you beat them with your hands,you go to jail or at least,pay a huge fine and court costs. Now,beat a small child,baby,teen,of your own,with a beal or your hands or a wooden paddle,and that’s ok. He’s your kid,you birthed him,you can get mad,and beat the crud out of him,as long as too many bruises don’t show,and hey,it’s ok,it will certainly make him less spirited and ,oh,so much more grateful and loving of you,for fixing him. Plus,you get the added reward,of him being much less violent, and never would he hit someone,when he’s raised with violence, as a daily drug. If you beat,a child,even your own,you need to be held to the same standard,as if,you hit an adult,or a child,that’s not yours. That’s one of the things wrong with people,we don’t respect,or listen to our children,and our society does not seem to care about our children. Aren’t children human beings,too? I think we protect our animals rights,more than our childrens’. It is maddening and so sad,I join you in your anger,Ben.

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